Undergarment



UNDERGARMENT Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 18. 1929 ATTORNEY ZZZ? Sept. 8, 1931. E. A. CHRISTMAN UNDERGARMENT Filed Dec. 18, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ment are attached.

Patented Sept. 8, 1931,

hearse s'ra'rss PATENT OFFICE I EDWARD A. CHRISTMAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE FAULTLESS MANUFACTURING OOMIPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND UNDERGARMEN T Application filed December 18, 1929. Serial No. 414,835.

The present invention relates broadly to garments and more especia ly to an undergarment of the type generally referred to as a union suit.

The principal object of the garment is to form a thorough protection for the wearer and at the sau'ie time to provide for comfort in the use of the garment.

The undergarment comprising the present invention is a union suit of substantially nonstretchable material, provided with an opening in the front adapted to be closed by buttons and buttonholes as is common in the art. The garment is without buttons in the back, which is provided with a posterior opening normally closed by overlapping flap portions.

The back of the garment comprises an upper back portion terminating in a reenforcement belt or band which extends across the back and between the side seams of the garment to reenforcc the garment at this point and to comprise an anchoring zone to which the posterior overlapping flaps of the gar- A special feature of the present garment is that the posterior flaps in their upper portions are gathered, with the gathers at substantially right angles to the edges, to provide surplus material adj acent the upper edge portions of these posterior flaps which comprise elastic strips, preferably of the character of the materials shown in the Harsh Reissue Patent No. 16,- 641 which discloses a flat rubber member enclosed in a stretchable fabric sheath. It is to be understood, however, that any suitable elastic material may be used. The elastic material normally maintains the gathers, in the upper part of the flap portion, in their loose gathered formation so that when the elastics are stretched, the gathers flatten out or straighten out thereby providing the necessary additional material when the wearer moves or when the posterior flaps are pulled aside.

The principal object of the present invention resides primarily in the gathers and elastics which preferably are located in the upper edge portion of the flaps adjacent to the backreenforcing band.

Other and further objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out in the specification herein following by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred form of the garment. It is to be understood. however, that the specific disclosure herewith is that of the preferred form and is not to be considered in the limiting sense.

F 1 illustrates a plan back View of the garment.

Fig. 2 illustrates a back View of the garment with a portion of one of the overlapping flaps broken away to clearly illustrate the construction in parts.

Referring now to the drawings, the front of the garment is provided with the usual opening extending the full length of the garment, which opening is closed by buttons 1 on one side of the opening and suitable buttonholes cooperating therewith on the other side. The upper part of the garment is provided with a neck opening 2 and with armhole openings 4. The front sides of the garment .5 and 6 extend the full length of the garment and are joined to the back by side scams 7 and 8, which extend from beneath the armholes 4 to the bottom of the leg portions of the garment. In other words, the side scams 7 and 8 extend the full length of the garment. The back of the garment comprises an upper back portion 9 which extends from the shoulder seams 10 and 11 to the half belt 12 that extends between the side seams 7 and 8. This half belt is preferably located at or near the waist line of the garment and the upper back portion 9 is provided on each side adjacent the belt with plaits 14: and 15 which tend to make the garment form-fitting at the waist. The lower portion of the back of the garment comprises two parts 16 andl'? both of which are securely attached to the half belt 12 and extend the full length of the garment so that the lower ends of the lower back parts 16 and 17 comprise the lower leg portions of the garment and are sewed to the front sides 5 and 6 at the inside leg seams 19 and 20. The lower back part 16, as shown in the figures of the drawings extends substantially two-thirds of the distance across the back toward the left and terminates on its inside edge adjacent the lower portion of the right leg leaving three or four inches of the lower part of the right leg closed to form a tubu lar leg member. The upper free edge 23 of this member 16 carries an elastic member 20 which extends lengthwise of the edge of the member 16 and the material of the part 16 adjacent the elastic member 20 is gathered at 21 to permit the elastic member to be stretched and to provide a suiiicient amount of the inelastic material 16 to permit the stretching; to take place. The other lower back portion 17 extends from the left side seam 8 toward the right, beneath the half belt 12 to overlap the edge of the back part 16. The free edge of the part 17 is also provided with an elastic member 22 which likewise extends lengthwise oi the edge 25 and the inelastic material oi the back part 17 is gathered as at 21 where it is attached to the elastic member 22 in order to provide sufficient of the inelastic material so that the elastic member 22 may stretch lengthwise of the edge. T his free edge 25 of the back 17 extends downwardly and is anchored to the part 16 at the point 26 on the inside of the right leg as shown inthe figures of the drawings. It will be observed that the back crotch portion of the garment is formed in the lower part of the member 17, and from the figures of the drawings, it will be observed that the parts 16 and 17 overlap throughout their entire length so that the body of the wearer is normally thoroughly protected by these overlapping portions.

The elastic members on the free edges of the parts 16 and 17 contribute substantially to the comfort of the rment on the wearer, maintain the garment thoroughly closed under normal w ir, and provide ample elasticity in the edges of these parts, to contribute to the comfort of the garment while in use.

The garment comprisingthe present inven tioniis one of simplicity which thoroughly protects the wearer and which is economical in manufacture and also easy to laundry.

Having thus described'my invention, what I claim is 1.. An nndergarment of the union suit type comprising; front portions, a back portion, full length side seams joining; said front portions to said back portion. a halt belt extending across said back portion and being secured to said side seams, said back portion below said belt comprising overlap ping 'fiap members with one oi said tlap members extending diagonally from said belt to a "leg portion of said garment, said flap members having free edges with a portion thereof comprising; rubber elastic material.

2. An undergarment of the union suit type of non-stretchable material, comprising front portions, a back portion, full length side seams joining said front portions to said back portion, a half belt extending across said back portion and being); secured to said side seams, said back portion below said belt comprising overlapping flap members, with one of said ilap members extendingfrom said half-belt diagonally to the opposite leg portion, said flap members having iree edges with a portion thereof compris inp; rubber elastic material, and gathers in said flap members extendingat substantially right angles to said free edges.

A union suit undergrarment having a back portion comprising an upper part, a half belt tor-nailing the lower edge of said up per part, and overlapping flaps comprising! the lower part of said back, said laps being" anchored to said belt, the free edges oi said ilaps adjacent their upper portion comprising rubber elastic material extending lengthwise oi said i' ree edges.

L. A union suit undorgarment having a back portion comprising an upper part, and overlapping: flaps cou'iprisin; the lower part of said back, said flaps being anchored to said upper part with the top portion of the flaps in permanently overlapping relation, the free edges of said tiaps adjacent their upper portion comprising" rubber elasic material extending lengthwise of said free edges.

A union suit uncergarment comprising a front portion, a back portion oi inelastic material, full length seams joining said front portion to said back portion, the upper part of said back portion comprising a closed unitaii'y section, the lower part oi said back portion comprising overlapping flaps, the free edge portions of said flaps being rubber elastic material and the inelastic garment material adjacent said elastic material being gathered with gathers extending at substantially right angles to the free edges of the flaps.

EDWARD A. Cl-lRISTh IAN.

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